Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

South Dakota Education Equity Coalition

EIN 88-0727247 · Black Hawk, SD

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak47 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE SDEEC ENVISIONS A DAY WHEN INDIGENOUS YOUTH LIVING IN SOUTH DAKOTA HAVE ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS SO THEY CAN GROW, THRIVE, EXERCISE SELF-DETERMINATION WITH AUDACITY, AND BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY WHO THEY ARE.

Income
$870,419
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
5
Volunteers
6
Highest pay
$149,985, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 30% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 266% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $709,757 spent. THE SOUTH DAKOTA EDUCATION EQUITY COALITION (SDEEC) EXISTS TO EMPOWER INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN ORDER TO CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND PROVIDE MORE CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS KIDS. WE PRODUCE RESEARCH, PROVIDE TRAINING, CONDUCT POLICY ANALYSIS, AND CONVENE OUR PARTNERS AND ALLIES TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS AND ADVANCE OUR MISSION. WE BELIEVE AN IMPORTANT ROOT CAUSE IN THE EDUCATION OUTCOME DISPARITY BETWEEN INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AND OTHER STUDENTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA IS THE LACK OF FORMAL CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IN OUR STATE AND TRIBAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS FROM THE NINE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ROOT CAUSE, WE WORKED TO DEVELOP AND BUILD SUPPORT FOR A FIRST OF ITS KIND TRIBAL ACCORD TO SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENT OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION IN OUR STATE. WE CONVENED OUR PARTNERS, ALLIES, AND SUPPORTERS. WE ALSO PROVIDED TRAININGS FOR OUR PARTNERS AND ALLIES. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING IN 2025: HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE BALL ON THE MALL PROGRAM IN JULY AND AUGUST 2025. THE PROGRAM WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SDEEC AND THE RAPID CITY POLICE. STUDENTS TRAVELED TO THE STATE CAPITOL IN PIERRE AND WERE INTRODUCED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE STATE HOUSE AND STATE SENATE. WITH SUPPORT FROM THE SDEEC, SEVEN STUDENTS ATTENDED AN EDUCATION EVOLVING CONFERENCE IN MINNEAPOLIS AND WERE ABLE TO PRESENT AT A PANEL DISCUSSION IN FRONT OF ALL OF THE ATTENDEES. THE SDEEC PROVIDED TRAININGS FOR HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, TRIBAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS, AND EDUCATION EXPERTS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE PUBLIC BOARDS, TASK FORCES, COUNCILS, AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE SDEEC CONVENED OUR PARTNERS AND ALLIES VIRTUALLY EACH MONTH TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC POLICY, PLAN TOGETHER, HEAR FROM GUEST SPEAKERS, AND EXCHANGE INFORMATION. WE HOSTED AN IN-PERSON RETREAT IN RAPID CITY WITH DOZENS OF ATTENDEES. THE RETREATS FEATURED PANELS, PRESENTATIONS, ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS, TRAINING, GUEST SPEAKERS, AND INTERACTIVE PLANNING SESSIONS. THE RETREATS ALSO PROVIDED ATTENDEES OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK, CONNECT WITH FELLOW EDUCATION ADVOCATES, AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR WORK. PLANNED THE FIRST EVER CAPITOL DAY FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS TO TRAVEL TO THE STATE CAPITOL IN PIERRE. DEVELOPED A PILOT TRIBAL ACCORD CONCEPT FOR USE IN RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS AND THE SIOUX FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2023.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.